In The Dark
by Vorcha Girl
Summary: James has a nightmare and Shepard comforts him. (Post-war Shega oneshot)
**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect**

 **A/N - A Shega oneshot written for PhoenixInTheNight for the Spectre Requisitions Rare Pair challenge, using the prompt of James having a nightmare and Shepard comforting him. This was a ton of fun to write and I hope you enjoy it!**

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"Dios! No! please!"

Shepard paused as the frightened shout echoed from the main bedroom of the apartment, the tone of James' voice catching her attention. She bit her lip and hurried to the bedroom door, listening, and a shiver worked its way down her spine as she heard it again, a sound of fear. A sound that seemed to reached inside of her and tried to tear the heart from her body; James was having another nightmare.

For a moment she hesitated, tempted to move on and pretend she hadn't heard him in case he was embarrassed, but she couldn't walk away when he was so distressed. He'd had some bad nightmares since the end of the war, but he'd never shouted in his sleep before. In fact, he was the one who normally comforted her when she woke up screaming in terror, and she owed him the same.

Keeping as quiet as she could, she opened the door an inch and peered in, but it was too dark to see much other than the outline of his body in the bed. She cracked the door another inch to allow more light to spill into the room, and bit her lip at what she saw; James caught up in the bed sheets, sweat gleaming on his chest in the spill of light. His face was twisted up in an expression of fright and he clutched a pillow tightly.

"James?" she whispered as she eased into the room, closing the door softly and padding to the bed.

She hit one of the bedside lamps and it threw a warm orange glow across room. James lay stretched out with his legs tangled in sheets, whimpering wordlessly as he struggled against something in his dreams. Shepard reached out a hand, intending to wake him, but she hesitated as her eyes skimmed down his body; his tattoos were inky shadows against his skin, and her face grow hot as he thrashed again and the sheet was pulled low on his abdomen, giving her a glorious view of his abs.

No matter how many times she saw her husband naked, the sight of his muscled body always made her mouth run dry and sent flurries of butterflies to her tummy, but she had never seen him look quite so vulnerable before. The big tough marine who had faced down Brutes and Banshees in the Reaper War without flinching seemed a million miles away right now. This was a man haunted by ghosts that she only partly understood; ghosts she couldn't fight like she had the reapers

"James?" She leaned over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Honey?"

She tightened her grip and started to speak again when his eyes snapped open and with a bellow that was both fear and rage he cocked back an arm and threw a punch at her. Shepard cursed and caught his arm, using the force of his momentum to carry them both from the bed as she threw herself backwards. They crashed to the floor and James landed heavily on her, almost winding her with his sheer size. Somehow she managed to keep a grip on his arm and she looped her legs around his waist, catching him in a hold and pinning his limbs.

"James, it's me! It's me!" She held him close as much to stop him from throwing another punch as to comfort him.

James panted, terrified, but he relaxed in her hold as he started to wake up, his body going limp and sagging against hers. He drew in a sobbing breath and the hand that had been clenched to hit her instead pressed to her back, drawing her close. Shepard loosened her hold on him and sucked in air as the adrenaline that had flooded her body left her in a tingling wave. She trembled, unable to help it as she kissed the top of his head and hugged him tight.

"I have you, James," she told him soothingly. "I have you."

"Lola?" His voice, confused and blurred with sleep, tumbled from his mouth, and his eyes widened as he came to his senses and saw her beneath him. "Oh shit, did I hurt you?"

Shepard shook her head. "No, but you gave me a damned good fright."

James levered himself up and pulled Shepard into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She drew back so she could look into his eyes, and searched his gaze for a sign that he was okay. "You've had nightmares before but nothing like that."

"I know." James swallowed hard and slowly got to his feet, easily lifting her too and carrying her to their bed.

Shepard waited as he set her on the pillows, knowing that James would speak in his own good time. He'd held her on more nights than she could count when she'd woken up in a cold sweat after dreams of thresher maw attacks, of being torn to bits of husks, and of a red wave of energy that seared and burned. And when she was ready, he'd listened when she'd told him about the dreams, about all her fears, and about the things she saw when she closed her eyes.

Now it was her turn to listen.

She sat against the headboard while James slid between her legs and settled his body against hers, resting his back to her chest. He was so solid and strong that she couldn't imagine anything frightening him, but he was only made of flesh and blood, and he'd seen enough things in his life to traumatise ten men. Sometimes she felt guilty, knowing she'd had a hand in his decision to stay on the Normandy and fight with her in the war, especially since part of the reason she'd wanted him there was a selfish one: she had fallen in love with him.

Their romance hadn't been a conventional one by any means, and they'd worked on their relationship in between missions. With stolen kisses in the shuttle bay surrounded by gun mods and weapons cases, and long nights together in her cabin under the guise of mission debriefings. In the middle of a war full of horror and nightmares, they'd found a little piece of heaven in each other, and they'd managed to find each other again when the dust settled and the war was won.

"I was dreaming of Fehl Prime," James said quietly, dragging her back to reality as he shifted against her and made himself comfortable. He rested his arms on her legs and sighed heavily. "The Seeker Swarms had paralysed me and I couldn't move. They loaded me into transport case, but in my dream it was a coffin. I was trying to break free and I couldn't. No matter how much I fought or strained I couldn't move a muscle."

Shepard tightened her arms around him and kissed the top of her head, closing her eyes and breathing in the familiar scent of him. "Oh James, I'm so sorry."

"It was bad," he confessed. "I had to watch as people around me were killed. Liquefied in front of my eyes. And then I saw you." James drew in a ragged breath. "They had you, and I tried to get free, I tried to move so I could save you, but I couldn't do a damn thing and I had to watch you die." He dropped his head back against her shoulder and looked up at her, his brown eyes haunted. "I couldn't save you, Lola."

His voice cracked and he closed his eyes and looked away, ashamed of his emotions. Shepard lay her cheek on the top of his head and ran her hands up and down his arms, stroking and soothing him with gentle touches and soft words. She told him that is was okay, that it was just a dream, and that she was fine.

They were words, just words, but they helped.

"Sometimes I dream of London," she confessed eventually. "I dream about the run to the beam and seeing that mako hit you and Ash. Sometimes I can't find you at all, and I stumble about the field finding bits of bodies instead of running for the beam." Shepard shivered and held James even tighter, grateful for the warmth of his body against hers. "But I always wake up and find you beside me."

"Lola," James murmured her name softly and pulled her down beside him in the bed, rearranging her body so she lay against him.

His mouth found hers and Shepard sighed happily as the usual rush of heat suffused her body at his touch. He deepened the kiss, swirling his tongue around hers as his hands wandered down her body and scooped her closer. He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes for a long moment before reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry I scared you when I woke up. I was trying to save you, and instead I almost hit you." A flush of colour darkened his cheeks. "I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself if I'd hurt you."

Shepard rolled her eyes and tapped him on the nose as she pulled away. "Just be grateful I didn't go with my instincts and dislocate your arm."

"N'aaaw, Lola," James grinned and reluctantly let her go. "Dislocation? Really? No knee to the groin? You have the sweetest pillow talk."

"Pillow talk?" She glanced back at him, fighting off the urge to smile at the boyish wink he aimed at her. "Are you trying to seduce me Mister Vega?"

He lay back against the bed, the shadows lifting from his eyes. "I certainly am, ma'am."

Shepard lost the fight as a smile spread across her face. "I guess you're just lucky I have a weakness for men with tattoos," she told him as she lifted the hem of her shirt and peeled it over her head. "And handsome Alliance marines with big guns."

"Believe me, Lola. I count my blessings every damned day." James stretched out his arms and caught her to him as she slid back onto the bed, the atmosphere light and the nightmares forgotten for now. He settled his hands on her waist and held her above him, his brown eyes skimming over her body as he smiled devilishly. "Now, how about I make up for scaring you earlier, hmm?"

"I'd like that," she agreed happily as she leaned down and rubbed her cheek against his. "I love you, James Vega."

"I love you too, Lola." James turned his head and caught her lips in a gentle kiss. "Always have."

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 **A/N - Hope you enjoyed it! ^_^ Reviews are welcome!**


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